Places to visit in Mumbai - Sightseeing guide to notable attractions and landmarks

Mumbai is the curate's egg of Indian sightseeing. Some critics deplore the city's monolithic architecture while others delight in Mumbai's eccentric gigantism that climaxes with impossibly excessive Gothic spreads such as Victoria Terminus.

The high-rise boom hasn't added a great deal to the skyline either Mumbai hasn't embraced creative or cutting-edge architecture in the way of Dubai or Shanghai. However, some colonial buildings like the Taj Mahal hotel and the Gateway of India are well-preserved and beautiful.

Mumbai is very much a water-oriented city and most of the major sightseeing spots face the Arabian Sea, at the western edge of town. Visitors looking for places to visit in Mumbai should keep in mind that the people and their endless activities here are probably the city's prime tourist attraction. Landmarks and tourist places are just a backdrop to the dizzying pace and variety of Mumbai life.

Places to Visit in Mumbai

Gateway of India

Built in 1924 to celebrate a visit from King George V, the unmistakable monumental arches of the Gateway of India saw the final departure of British soldiers in 1948. The Gateway of India marks the wonderful tourist center of Colaba and faces the opulent Taj Mahal hotel.

Queen's Necklace

Join the crowds who promenade here around sunset every day of the year. Hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists mingle and barter for souvenirs and delicious snacks on sale by countless vendors. The lights of Marine Drive give the area its well-deserved nickname.

Elephanta Island

Ferry boats leave for Elephanta Island and its famous decorated caves from the area around the Gateway of India. The staggering statuary includes enormous Hindu carvings and the island is home to a tourist-friendly colony of hungry monkeys.

Chowpatty Beach

Mumbai is no real beach paradise but the activity and life around popular waterfront areas is enthralling, and Chowpatty is Mumbai's most famous local beach. Join the crowds and stroll along the boardwalk day or night, when the entire area is floodlit.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Victoria Terminus)

The architectural showpiece of the British Raj is now one of the seething main stations of the Mumbai suburban rail network. Towering Gothic spires and monumental façades make excellent photo opportunities come at rush hour to see what three million people gathered in the one place looks like.